Skylight construction



March 1, 1955 W. G. KIEFER Filed Dec. 5, 1952 2 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WILLIAM G. KIEFER ATTORNEYS March 1., 1955 w. G. KIEFER 2,703,060 SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 3, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

Fig. 5

. INVENTOR. WILLIAM G. KIEFER ATTORNEYS United States Patent SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION William G. Kiefer, Brookline, Mass.

Application December 3, 1952, Serial No. 323,795

9 Claims. (Cl. 108-16) This invention consists in a novel skylight construction employing a light transmitting dome secured at its marginal edges to a curb surrounding the roof opening, and provides a weathertight construction that clamps the marginal edges of the dome without perforation thereof, and in addition provides for the drainage of accumulated moisture, such as condensation, from the inside surface to the outside.

A skylight embodying the present invention is mounted on the raised curb by means of an inner supporting frame and a cooperating outer rim which engage the marginal edge of the skylight dome. The inner supporting frame rests on top of the curb and is provided with an upwardly turned inner edge that forms a gutter to collect condensation from the inside of the dome. The dome is formed with an outwardly flared edge on which it is mounted to thesupporting frame through spaced raised regions, such as bosses or ribs, that are provided in either the supporting frame or in the flared edge of the dome. By supporting the dome on spaced raised regions, condensation collected in the gutter at the inner edge of the frame is free to flow beneath the edge of the dome and drain to the outside. In a preferred embodiment, the dome is supported on bosses formed in the frame and the flared edge of the dome and the top surfaces of the bosses decline outwardly to minimize the accumulation of moisture on the outside of the edge of the dome.

The dome is secured to the supporting frame and to the curb by the surrounding outer rim which is formed with a lower apron and an inwardly extending upper flange that engages the outer surface of the flared edge tion shown in Fig. 2.

The outer rim surrounds the entire assembly with the apron at the indentations.

stallation shown in Fig. 1 showing the manner in which the elements are assembled and secured together,

Fig. 3 shows the main elements of the construction in exploded relation, and

Figs. 4 and 5 show modifications of the edge construc- In the installation shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the skylight is mounted on a curb 10 that surrounds the building opening, a flashing 12 being provided to cover the curb in accordance with accepted building practice. Resting di- '-rectly on the top surface of the flashed curb is an inner supporting frame 14 which is conveniently made of sheet aluminum or other materials. The supporting frame 14 is formed with an outer skirt 20 and a generally horizontal top flange provided with an upwardly flared inner edge wardly declining top surfaces. A dome 22, of a light transmitting material, such as a polymethylmethacrylate (e. g. Lucite), having an outwardly flared marginal edge 24 is supported at its marginal region on the tops of the bosses 16.

The dome is secured to the assembly by an outer rim 26 having an inwardly extending upper flange 28 and a downwardly extending lower apron 30, and which may be conveniently made of sheet aluminum or other materials.

upper flange 28 engaging the marginal edge 24 of the dome 22 to position the dome firmly on the bosses 16, and the lower apron 30 is fastened to the skirt 20 of the supporting frame 14 in spaced relation therefrom to provide a complete preassembled skylight unit. In the illustrated embodiment the apron 30 is provided with a series of indentations 32 that maintain the desired spacing, and the outer rim 26 and inner supporting frame 14 are fastened together by grommets 34 clinching the skirt and The grommets thus provide reinforced perforations through which the skylight assembly may be secured to the curb 10 as by screws 36 passing through the grommetted perforations.

In assembling the skylight herein described, the dome 22 is first placed with its marginal edge portions on the bosses 16 of the supporting frame 14. The outer rim 26 is then located over the margin of the dome with the inwardly extending flange 28 engaging the inclined marginal face of the dome. The skirt 20 of the frame and the of the dome. The lower apron extends downwardly and hiapmn 30 of the rim are then Punched and Connected is secured to the curb while maintained spaced from the curb and from the supporting frame so that a drainage passage is formed between the surrounding outer apron and the supporting frame and curb.

In preferred pre-assembled forms of construction, the supporting frame is provided with an outer downwardly extending skirt to which the lower apron of the outer rim is secured in spaced relation therefrom, conveniently by grommets situated in indented regions of the outer apron.

w'of the dome. The inner wall section is provided with Fastening means, such as screws, may then be inserted through the grommets to secure the assembly to the curb.

The construction featured by this invention has been found to be particularly advantageous for skylights. The dome is firmly anchored to the curb by means that avoid entirely the necessity of perforating any part of the dome, and that allow free expansion of both the dome and the supporting structure therefor. In addition, a free drainage passage from the interior of the dome is presented, while the exterior of that passage is shielded and kept weathertight. A further advantage, provided by securing the skylight primarily by means of the outer apron, is that careful fitting of the supporting frame to the inner and outer surfaces of the curb is unnecessary. The supporting frame need only rest on the top of the curb without engaging it at its inner and outer edges, and the skylight may readily be installed from the rooftop.

This invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof selected for purposes of illustration, and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the skylight installed over a roof opening.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the edge of the inby the grommets 34 as suggested by Fig. 2.

A modlfied construction of this invention in which the outer rim member is formed to assure better drainage 1 u from the outside surface of the dome, and to combine "this drainage with that from the inside of the dome is shown in Fig. 4. The outer rim 40 is formed with an inturned upper flange 42 that is turned down and out at its inner edge to provide an inner wall section 44 and a lower flange 46 that engages the flared marginal edge perforations 48 at its lower edge through which accumulated moisture may drain beneath the upper flange 42, over the edge of the dome and down between the supporting frame 14 and the outer rim 40. A further modification shown in Fig. 4 consists in securing the outer rim 40 and inner frame 14 by turning the edge of the perforations in the indentations 32 in the apron of the outer rim over the edges of the corresponding perforations in the skirt 20 of the inner frame, as indicated at 49.

A further modification in which the dome is supported on a flat topped frame by ribs provided in the edge of the dome is shown in Fig. 5. In this construction the inner frame 50 is formed with a substantially plane upper surface 52, and the marginal edge of the dome is corrugated to provide alternate inner ribs 54 and outer ribs 56, the former resting on the upper surface 52 of the frame and the latter being engaged by the upper flange 28 of the outer rim member 26. An advantage of this type of construction is that accumulated moisture from both the inside and outside of the dome drains through alternate passages defined by the corrugations into the space between the outer rim 26 and inner frame 50. A further modification shown in Fig. 5 is the formation of indentations 58 in the skirt section of the inner frame 50, through which the outer rim 26 and inner frame 50. are secured together in. spaced relation.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the skylight of my invention may be easily adapted for roof openings of various shapes and sizes, that it is convenient and economical to install and weatherproof to a high degree without requiring the use of gaskets. The dome employed is held securely in place without the necessity of forming perforations therein, and is freely expandible within its mounting. The inner frame may be of welded construction if desired and the bosses 16 may be formed by stamping them in the strip stock, although other well known methods of construction may also be used. All of these features contribute to the mechanically sound, compact and self-sustaining. characteristics of the skylight.

Although this invention is described above in detail in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that appropriate modifications of the preferred constructions may be made in adapting my improved skylight for a variety of installations without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail the preferred embodiment thereof, 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A skylight or the like for covering a building open ing surrounded by a curb, comprising an inner supporting frame shaped to cover the curb and having a downwardly extending outer skirt and an inwardly extending top flange formed with spaced raised bosses and an upwardly flared inner edge; a light transmitting dome having an outwardly flared edge supported upon said bosses; and an outer rim having an inwardly extending upper flange cooperating with said bosses to secure the flared edge of the dome and terminating at its outer side in a downwardly extending lower apron secured in spaced relation to said skirt.

2. A skylight as defined by claim 1 wherein the skirt and apron are spaced by indentations in one of said members.

3. A skylight as defined by claim 2 wherein the skirt and apron are correspondingly perforated at said indentations and secured by clinching means at the edges of the perforations.

4. A skylight or the like for covering a building opening surrounded by a curb, comprising an inner supporting frame shaped to cover the curb and having a downwardly extending outer skirt and an inwardly extending top flange formed with an upwardly flared inner edge, a light transmitting dome having an outwardly flared edge supported upon said top flange, said top flange and outwardly flared edge being contacting members, spaced raised regions in one of said contacting members defining drainage passages between said contacting members, and an outer rim having an inwardly extending upper flange terminating at its inner end in a downwardly extending perforated wall section and an outwardly extending lower flange cooperating with said frame to secure the edge of said dome and terminating at its outer side in a downwardly extending lower apron spaced outwardly from said outer skirt, thereby defining a drainage passage between said apron and skirt.

5. A skylight or the like for covering a building opening surrounded by a curb, comprising an inner supporting frame shaped to cover the curb and having a downwardly extending outer skirt and an inwardly extending top flange formed with an upwardly flared inner edge, a light transmitting dome having an outwardly flared edge supported upon said top flange by contact between said top flange and said outwardly flared edge, corrugations defining alternate upper and lower ribs in said outwardly flared edge of the dome providing drainage passages betwen said edge and said top flange, and an outer rim having an inwardly extending upper flange cooperating with said frame to secure the edge of said dome and a downwardly extending lower apron spaced outwardly from said outer skirt, thereby defining a drainage passage between said apron and skirt.

6. A skylight or the like for covering a building opening surrounded by a curb, comprising an inner supporting frame shaped to cover the curb and having an inwardly extending top flange upwardly flared at its inner edge and a downwardly extending outer skirt, a light transmitting dome having an outwardly flared edge supported upon the top flange, means spacing the flared edge of the dome from the top flange defining drainage passages between the dome and frame, and an outer rim having an inwardly extending upper flange cooperating with said top flange to secure the flared edge of the dome and terminating at its outer side in a downwardly extending lower apron secured in spaced relation to said skirt thereby defining a drainage passage between the skirt and apron.

7. A skylight or the like for covering a building opening surrounded by a curb, comprising an inner supporting.

frame shaped to cover the curb and having an inwardly extending top flange upwardly flared at its inner edge and a downwardly extending outer skirt, a light transmitting dome having an outwardly flared edge supported upon the top flange, means spacing the flared edge of the dome from the top flange defining drainage passages between the dome and frame, and an outer rim having an inwardly extending upper flange cooperating with said top flange to secure the flared edge of the dome and a downwardly extending lower apron secured in spaced relation to said skirt, said apron and skirt being spaced by indentations in one of said members.

8. The skylight as defined by claim 7 wherein the skirt and apron are correspondingly perforated at the indentations and secured by clinching means at the edges of the perforations.

9. A skylight or the like for covering a building opening surrounded by a curb, comprising an inner supporting frame shaped to cover the curb and having a downwardly extending outer skirt and an inwardly extending top flange formed with an upwardly flared inner edge, a light transmitting dome having an outwardly flared edge supported by said frame, means spacing the flared edge of the dome from the top flange defining a drainage passage between the dome and frame, and an outer rim having an inwardly extending upper flange terminating at its inner end in a downwardly extending perforated wall section, and an outwardly extending lower flange cooperating with said frame to secure the edge of said dome, and terminating at its outer side in a downwardly extending lower apron spaced outwardly from said outer skirt, thereby defining a drainage passage between said apron and skirt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 472,438 Danzer Apr. 5, 1892 1,081,966 King Dec. 23, 1913 2,258,724 Wagner et al Oct. 14, 1941 2,610,593 Wasserman Sept. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 50,728 Austria of 1911 381,266 Great Britain of 1932 

